Extending from Corona to Moreno Valley, the 31st is one of three swing districts that could determine whether Democrats reach a two-thirds majority in the upper house that would allow them to sideline Republicans on taxes.

Miller was the top vote-getter in this week’s election, getting 51 percent of the vote, based on unofficial results. Roth, a Riverside attorney, received 28.8 percent of the vote, besting Clute, who received 20.2 percent.

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The state’s Senate Democrats recruited Roth, a business attorney, viewing him as the strongest candidate against Miller. Roth is president of the influential Monday Morning Group comprised of civic and business leaders and is a retired Air Force general.

Clute, who served in the Assembly from 1982 through 1992, had strong support from local Democratic activists.

Roth supporters viewed Clute as a 1980s retread who would present a familiar, and eminently beatable, foe to Republican campaign operatives. Clute backers slammed Roth as a Sacramento-selected candidate who has given as much money to Republicans as Democrats.

Speaking to reporters last week, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg hinted that his caucus would send its resources elsewhere if Clute finished in the top two.

On Wednesday, June 6, Steinberg said Senate Democrats are fully invested in Roth’s candidacy.

“We have three great opportunities to get to our 27 and even possibly beyond,” Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said. “With a candidate like Gen. Roth, and his performance last night, we’re in it.”

Miller, who has represented the 31st’s western third in the Assembly since 2008, is a better fit for the district, Huff said.

“We had beaten Steve Clute a couple times in the past. Roth will be a tough candidate, but we believe we can beat him” as well, Huff said.

Outside groups pumped more than $900,000 into the Clute-Roth contest. The California Chamber of Commerce, Chevron Corp. and other business interests spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on mailers criticizing Roth as a “corporate defender” and praising Clute.

Steinberg said those groups actually want Miller to win in November. As for any damage the campaign inflicted on Roth, Steinberg said the candidate now has been ”battle-tested.”

“That makes him stronger going in. He knows what to expect,” Steinberg said.

For his part, union-funded independent expenditure committees pummeled Clute, a strong supporter of organized labor. The effort clearly annoyed Clute, who deflected questions about whether the rough campaign could hurt Democratic chances in the seat.

“I was surprised Democrats could be so vicious in taking me on,” Clute said.

This week’s contest had poor turnout. Through Wednesday, only 58,614 votes had been cast in the race, barely 17 percent of the 31st’s 349,000 registered voters. Thousands of mail, provisional and damaged ballots remain to be counted.

The presidential race will bring many more voters to the polls in November.

Miller said he was happy with his performance this week. As for his fall opponent, “it doesn’t matter” if it was Clute or Roth.